Dozens of exciting events set to get the Bay's summer sizzling

Rhys Arrowsmith of Tourism Bay of Plenty at the Mount. Photo / File

With up to 40 events planned for the Bay this summer, it's set to be "one of the best", says the head of Tourism Bay of Plenty.

From the international cricket at the Bay Oval this month, to the gruelling Mount CrossFit New Zealand Team Nationals and Tauranga Arts Festival, both over Labour Weekend, the summer calendar of events kicks off with an action-packed start.

Other events in the summer season, which stretches from October through to the end of April, include the Port of Tauranga Half Marathon, V8 Jetsprints, Generation Homes Women's Triathlon and the Ocean Swim Series.

Other highlights include the New Zealand Garden and Art Festival which celebrates the diversity of the Western Bay region's gardens.

Plus no summer would be complete without Tauranga Christmas in the Park and the New Year's Eve celebrations, when thousands of revellers descend on Mount Maunganui.

The event, delivered by Tauranga City Council, is just one part of a three-week summer programme featuring competitions, giveaways and activities.

The final event on the summer calender is the Tauranga National Jazz Festival over Easter weekend - the longest-running jazz festival in the southern hemisphere.

Tourism Bay of Plenty general manager Rhys Arrowsmith said the coming summer season calendar was going to be one of the best the Bay had seen.

"Regardless of what you're into, there is an event for everyone in the Bay this summer," he said.

Tourism Bay of Plenty was continuing to run its "Plenty for Everyone" campaign targeting the Auckland and Waikato domestic visitors market and aimed at moving the Bay into the top five tourism destinations in the country, he said.

Tauranga City Council's Strategic Events manager, Pip Loader, said the summer festivities got better every year.

A snapshot of some of the summer events
• Oct 21-24 - ODI International Series Black Caps vs South Africa at Bay Oval
• Oct 25-26 - Mount CrossFit NZ Team Nationals at ASB Baypark Stadium
• Oct 26 - Tauranga Arts Festival & Friends - Historic Village
• Oct 31 - Nov 2 - Tauranga Boat Expo 2014 - The Strand
• Nov 17-23 - NZ Garden & Art Festival - Expo Pavilion at The Lakes
• Dec 19-Jan 11 - Summer activities programme New Year's Eve celebrations
• Dec 20 - Tauranga's Christmas in the Park - Blake Park
• Dec 31-Jan 1 - New Year's Eve Celebrations - Mount Maunganui
• Jan 9-11 - Mount Festival of Multisport - Coronation Park
• Jan 10 - Port of Tauranga Half (Tauranga)
• Jan 11 - Weet-Bix Kids Tryathlon - Pilot Bay